SCHOOL GAKDENS. 343 



garden might be placed in every school in the cities and country 

 both. There is just one problem that has troubled us in town in 

 regard to school gardens, and that has been the lack of room. I 

 have known of some instances where children have taken the great- 

 est interest in planting a school garden, showing great skill in their 

 work, and those children have been punished because they stepped 

 on a flower bed. So I think if in our towns we could have more 

 room to overcome that difficulty it would help to solve the problem. 



Dr. F. M. Powell (Iowa) : Just a word or two in reply to the 

 lady that has just spoken. Where the teacher has a right concep- 

 tion of what a garden should be, it is remarkable what they will do. 

 I think the kindergarten work cannot accomplish it all, but it is 

 remarkable what they do accomplish by taking that small bit of 

 ground, fertilizing it, shaking up the ground and doing their little 

 planting. I recognize the embarrassment the lady spoke of, but 

 a beginning will have to be made in some way until the people know 

 the value of such instruction, and after that there will be no trouble. 

 If parents once understood the importance of the work, or that it is 

 of enough importance, they would provide the ground. The pio- 

 neers will have to work it out under, perhaps, rather embarrassing 

 circumstances. This little border I spoke of, it is remarkable what 

 that has done. It has been there for seven years now. I simply 

 mention this as a successful way, and almost any teacher can find 

 some little corner to make this start. 



Prof. Hays : We have found out a few things in regard to 

 these little gardens. It is better as a rule not to use too much land. 

 A space of two rods square is ample. Six feet square will do nicely 

 if it is well prepared. The more important suggestion is this : Do 

 not try to have the work done right off. If necessary fertilize the 

 land ; haul manure on if the land is poor. Take away all the sod 

 and get the land in nice shape and make it succeed, so that the crops 

 will be an encouragement to the pupils. The great trouble is to get 

 some one to stay by it and look after it. 



Windbreak for Orchards. — "A windbreak is anything which 

 breaks the force of the wind. In many cases an orchard may be 

 sheltered by placing it on the leeward side of a hill. But there may 

 be many good reasons for planting an orchard in an exposed site, so 

 that it becomes an important point to afford it protection from trying 

 winds. 



"A windbreak is always desirable whenever the orchard is ex- 

 posed to the full sweep of strong, dry or very cold winds. If the 

 orchard is habitually exposed to strong winds, which break down 

 the branches, blow off the fruit and make it disagreeable to work in, 

 it should have a windbreak. If an orchard is exposed to drying 

 winds, which not only suck up precious moisture from the soil, but 

 also increase evaporation from the trees, thus increasing the danger 

 of injury from cold in the winter; then, also, a windbreak is a profit- 

 able investment." — Professor S. W. Fletcher. 



